Throwing a fantastic baby shower during a global pandemic is no easy feat. Luckily, you don’t need to sacrifice a festive celebration to stay safe. Instead, try hosting a virtual, socially distanced baby shower–complete with themed games, decorations, and party favors–to commemorate the occasion.
“The climate we’re in right now is very sensitive,” says event planner Fernanda Brady, President of Redefine Styling in Huntington Beach, Calif. “But that doesn’t mean that special life moments need to stop. As an event planner, I’ve just learned to pivot and come up with solutions for baby showers that are safe and comfortable for both the mama and the family members.”
Here, Brady shares four of her favorite tips and tricks for a socially-distanced baby shower.
1. Mind the guest list.
Try to keep size in mind when you’re sending out invitations, especially if some guests will attend in person (setting up outside is ideal whenever possible). “There are cases where we’ve done baby showers with fewer people,” says Brady. “What we do is have smaller tables and each person has their own table. Then we set up Zoom with a live video feed for the people that can’t come to the event so they’re also there. You could also do a drive-by where we create a beautiful balloon garland or a flower wall to create a backdrop. Cars drive by to drop off gifts at the end of the driveway or take a picture in front of the backdrop with the mama-to-be six feet apart.” (Note: State and local guidance on gatherings are changing regularly, so make sure to check on your local regulations before hosting an in-person gathering.)
2. Opt for contactless gift giving.
Unless you want to hand out cans of Lysol as party favors, it’s probably best to encourage guests to order gifts online. “Even before COVID-19, a lot of people were shipping presents so they didn’t have to lug them around,” says Brady. “People are still shipping presents but they’re getting a lot more savvy with different platforms. Now there’s Babylist.com where you can register for different companies all on one website. It’s really easy for your guests to shop.”
3. Set up virtual baby shower games.
Even if you’re miles apart, all of your guests can still partake in traditional baby shower games. “We do a customized Bingo card that is sent out to all of the guests ahead of time,” says Brady. “They fill out what they think mama-to-be is getting and, as she opens up the gifts, they cross them off the squares until they get Bingo.”
4. Send party favors ahead of time.
Even if they can’t attend in person, your guests don’t have to walk away from the virtual baby shower empty-handed. “We do virtual paint parties where all of the supplies get sent to guests ahead of time,” says Brady. “Then they paint with the mama-to-be. This can also act as a favor. We’re also seeing little, personalized hand sanitizers that fit in your purse. Or a nice bottle of wine can be mailed to guests, so, yes, we’re still doing favors. They just shifted a little bit.”
Tell us your best socially-distanced baby shower tips in the comments–and shop hot-mama pieces from our bump-friendly selection!
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